New YorK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 123 
has reduced the vitality of the. plants, until the growing of as- 
paragus in the market garden section around New York City 
has been practically abandoned. In sections like the east end of 
Long Island and Oneida and Madison Counties, where the can- 
ning factories take the larger portion of the crop, the growers 
are tenaciously retaining their beds although harvesting a lighter 
crop each year. The records of the Hudson Canning Company, 
Mattituck, N. Y., show that the average yield per acre for sea- 
sons prior to the outbreak of the asparagus rust varied between 
1,500 and 2,500 bunches, while during 1899 and 1900 the aver- 
age yield varied from 800 to 750 bunches per acre. 
Some growers, however, are increasing their acreage, hoping 
that the rust will not be as bad in the future; that some variety 
will prove rust-proof; or that some other means of controlling 
the disease will be found. That the first two of these methods 
of relief are possible has been the opinion of several eminent 
pathologists; but thus far no such conditions have been reached. 
The rust, instead of abating, has been rapidly increasing in de- 
structiveness; and no strictly rust-proof varieties have, as yet, 
been found. It is true that in some sections the Palmetto 
variety has been reported as being partially rust-proof; but it has 
not proven itself so under the conditions found in this State. In 
fact, it was one of the first varieties to be injured by the “ cluster 
cup” stage in 1900. Even the Argenteuil, which is being put 
forward at present as rust proof, succumbed to the attacks of the 
rust during the past season. Whether it was as badly injured 
as some other varieties cannot be said, as it was not observed 
. growing under field conditions. 
In addition to resistant varieties, the following have been ad- 
vocated as means of controlling the rust: Methods of cultiva- 
tion and fertilization, burning, and even planting on heavy soils. . 
Spraying has also been suggested; but for reasons given further 
on, most writers on asparagus rust have he'd out but little hope 
along this line. . 
The persistence of asparagus rust, with the evident ruining 
of the canning industry, if not of the culture of asparagus as a 
